Amanita fuliginea

Description

Amanita fuliginea, also known as the East Asian Brown Death Cap, is a small to medium-sized mushroom native to Japan and southern China. Beware, this beautiful mushroom is deadly poisonous! 💀 Common in China, it has caused numerous poisonings and fatalities. Found on the ground in summer and autumn, Amanita fuliginea grows either alone or scattered, and it forms essential partnerships with trees as an ectomycorrhizal fungus.

Be Aware! 🚨 With its unassuming looks and small size, A. fuliginea can easily be mistaken for harmless mushrooms. However, this mushroom has caused severe poisonings, with tragic cases recorded in southern China. There is no safe way to consume it — even a small bite can be lethal!

Toxicity ☠️ A. fuliginea contains α- and β-amanitins, the same toxins found in the infamous "Destroying Angel." These toxins primarily reside in the gills, reaching peak levels during the mushroom's growth phase. Recent studies have shown that toxin levels and DNA from A. fuliginea can be traced using advanced molecular and chemical analysis techniques, aiding in medical diagnosis and treatment of poisonings.

Mushroom Identification

🍄 Cap: 1.18 to 2.36 inches (3 to 6 cm) wide, convex to flat, dark gray to blackish with a smooth, fibrous texture. Darker at the center, the cap margin is smooth without hanging fragments.

🌿 Gills: Free from the stem, white, with shorter gills (lamellulae) in between.

📏 Stem: 2.36 to 5.12 inches (6 to 13 cm) tall, white to grayish with brownish flakes, ending in a thick, subglobose bulb (1–3 cm wide). It has a noticeable volva at the base, along with a grayish, membranous ring.

🦠 Spores: Round, amyloid, measuring 8–11 by 7–9.5 µm.

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: lxjfx (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Photo 2 - Author: lxjfx (CC BY-SA 3.0)